House Bill 1583

AN ACT TO DEFINE AND CREATE THE OFFENSE OF SEXUAL
MISCONDUCT; TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION
1. (1) No person shall commit sexual misconduct
upon any other person. "Sexual
misconduct" means the intentional touching or feeling of the body or
private parts of any person in a lewd and lascivious manner and without the
consent of that person.

(2)
No person shall commit sexual misconduct upon a mentally defective,
mentally incapacitated or physically helpless person, with or without their
consent.

(3)
Intentional touching or feeling of the body or private parts shall
include the direct, or indirect touching, fondling or manipulating of any part
of the genital area, anus, groin, inner thighs, buttocks of a male or female
and the female breast by any part of the body or by an object.

(4)
Upon conviction for sexual misconduct, the defendant shall be sentenced
to imprisonment for not more than five (5) years in the State Penitentiary or a
fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or both.

(5)
Second and subsequent convictions will result in the offender
registering as a sexual offender in the State of Mississippi.

SECTION
2. This act shall take effect and
be in force from and after July 1, 2002.